PBP Commentary

Coming up we have a welterweight MMA rules bout between Jon Fitch (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class) and Smelly Fingers (ranked 0 p4p, 0 weight class). Fitch kept the crowd waiting but all that was forgotten when his ring entrance music started. The incomparable musical genius that is Kickstart. Fingers has chosen My boomerang won't come back as his entrance music. Both fighter's entrance songs getting the crowd jumping here.

Fitch
vs
Fingers

184 cm
25
170 lbs
3 - 0 - 0

180 cm
22
180 lbs
5 - 1 - 0

Good takedowns
Counter striker
Cuts easily

Good wrestler
Counter striker
Experienced

Ladies and gentlemen. This fight is 3 rounds, in the welterweight division.
Introducing the fighter to my left, fighting out of the red corner.
With a record of 3 - 0 - 0, fighting out of Hilo, Jon Fitch!
And introducing the fighter to my right, fighting out of the blue corner.
With a record of 5 - 1 - 0, fighting out of Las Vegas, Smelly Fingers!
The judges for this bout are , and .

The bell rings for round one and we are underway!
Fingers stuffs the takedown attempt from Fitch. Fitch gets slowly back to his feet.
Fitch fails with a takedown attempt.

Fingers gets caught napping as Fitch dives in and scores a takedown. Fingers manages to retain guard.
We've had a lack of effective grappling in the last minute or so, which could well see a referee standup.
Fitch in full guard, throwing the ground and pound. No damage this time.
Fitch trying to control the position from guard on top but Fingers is wriggling around, looking for whatever he can.
Fitch thows a big elbow that misses.
Fitch prevents Fingers from getting back to his feet.
We get told so often about how wrestlers don't like to be on their backs. Let's see if Fingers can do anything to dispel that myth.

Fingers has butterfly guard. He's looking to stand up here. He pushes Fitch off him and springs to his feet nicely. The crowd applauds.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fingers looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fitch is fending him off so far but Fingers persists. Nope, Fitch circles away and we're back to standing.
Fitch shoots in but no luck this time.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Fitch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fitch closes the distance and clinches up with Fingers, looking for a takedown. Fitch pushes Fingers against the cage but Fingers circles to the side and manages to break the clinch.
Fitch looks frustrated there after his takedown attempt is stuffed easily.

Fitch shoots in for a takedown and gets it. Let's see what he's got on the mat.
Fitch has to be careful here, sitting in the guard of a superior BJJ player.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fitch won't allow Fingers to get back to his feet.
The ref warns both fighters not to hold the cage as they work up against the meshing.

Fingers wriggles free and stands up.
Fitch shoots in but doesn't get the takedown

and Fingers decides to take the opportunity to score a takedown. He's landed in Fitch's guard.
The crowd cheering loudly, showing their appreciation for the quality fight we're seeing here.
Fitch looking to control.
Fingers throwing elbows and punches but not connecting, as Fitch works some decent striking defense from the bottom.
Fitch manages to land a sweep and now he's in mount on top!

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fingers tries to buck Fitch off but he can't manage it.
Fitch lands an elbow that was bordering on illegal but the referee lets it go with a warning.

Fingers bucks Fitch off and manages to get back to his feet!
Fitch shoots in for a takedown. "I don't think so" says Fingers as he avoids it easily.
Fingers with a lazy takedown attempt
and Fitch connects with a straight left hand counter down the middle.

Fitch tries to sprawl but Fingers drives through with a takedown into half guard.
The fighters are pressed up against the cage, both looking to find a bit of space to work.
Fingers not landing any meaningful shots this time.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fingers looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Fingers has the superior BJJ but he's also working some ground strikes into his gameplan.
Fingers prevents Fitch from standing back up.
Fitch is looking to regain full guard. Not this time though.
Fitch is trying to defend against the ground and pound but Fingers scores with a couple of nice shots.
This is a great period of action - very entertaining stuff!

Fingers is working for a submission of some sort.
Fingers throwing shots but they're hitting the canvas more than the man.
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Smelly Fingers dominated that round.
That's time! Back to the action!

Fitch dives in and grabs Fingers's left leg, looking for a takedown. Fingers pushes down on Fitch's head and hops out.
Fingers stuffs the takedown attempt from Fitch. Fitch gets slowly back to his feet.
Fitch will need to tighten up his combinations if he doesn't want to gas himself out, swinging at thin air.
Fingers shoots in but no luck this time.
Jon Fitch seems to be the more aggressive standup fighter in this bout.
Fingers leaves Fitch with his face pressed against the mat as he sprawls beautifully, defending against a solid takedown attempt.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Fitch. That's going to take a lot out of him.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitch fails with the takedown.
Fitch tries for a takedown but Fingers sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fingers fails with a rather predictable takedown attempt.

Excellent takedown into side control there by Fitch.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
Fingers on the wrong end of some ground and pound.
Fingers is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Fitch has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Smelly Fingers has got the better of the ground game so far.
Fitch sitting in side control, looking to soften his opponent up with elbows and hammerfists but Fingers is avoiding damage well and looking to escape the position.
Fingers is working hard to escape and get back to his feet. After a battle for position, Fitch asserts his dominance and retains side control.
Fitch working away diligently from side control. Landing strikes effectively there - that will score him some points on the judges scorecards.

That's three minutes gone in the round.
Fingers is trying to escape and get back to his feet.
Fitch wants to control but Fingers is keeping him busy.
Fingers is trying to stand back up. He's worked his way up against the cage but Fitch has just dragged him back down to the mat.
Fitch scores with a couple of nice shots to the head there. The referee takes a look at Fingers to see if he's OK.
Fitch creates some space and throws a big elbow, but Fingers sees it coming and moves his head just enough to avoid the strike.
Fitch in side control, trying to ground and pound but not landing this time.
Fingers is trying to get back to his feet.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fitch throws a knee to the body but it doesn't do much damage.
Fingers pushes Fitch away and creates a bit of space to escape. He's almost out here... but no, Fitch gets a good hold of his legs and remains firmly in side control.

Fingers throws his opponent off and manages to get back to his feet! Nicely done!
Fitch tries for a takedown but Fingers sees it coming a mile off and avoids it easily.
Fingers fails with a takedown attempt.
Fitch thows a left - swing and a miss!
And that’s the end of the round – the fighters go back to their corners.

Jon Fitch dominated that second round.
The minute break is over - no more time for sponges and pep talks - back to the action! This is the final round!

Fitch looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fingers is fending him off so far but Fitch persists. Nope, Fingers circles away and we're back to standing.
Both fighters are looking to counter, which isn't making for the most exciting fight in the world.
Fitch shoots in but Fingers avoids the takedown attempt easily.
Fingers shoots in for a takedown but doesn't get it.
Fitch fails to land the takedown.
That's three failed takedown attempts in the round for Jon Fitch. That's going to take a lot out of him.
Fingers fakes high and shoots in for a takedown but Fitch avoids it really well and circles away.

That's one minute gone in the round.
Fitch shoots in looking for a takedown. Fingers tries to sprawl out of it but Fitch keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fingers manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.
Fitch shoots in looking for a takedown. Fingers tries to sprawl out of it but Fitch keeps driving through. The fighters are pinned against the cage. Fingers manages to get underhooks and after a bit of a struggle, circles away and we're back to standing.

That's two minutes gone in the round.
There's not a lot going on here and the crowd are letting the fighters know they're not willing to tolerate a lack of action.
Fingers looks for a takedown here. Will he get it? Fitch is fending him off so far but Fingers persists. Nope, Fitch circles away and we're back to standing.
Fingers misses with a takedown attempt. He shot from a bit too far out.
Fitch fakes a jab and throws a low kick but Fingers checks it well.

That's three minutes gone in the round.

Fingers scores with a nice takedown into half guard. Let's see what he's got on the ground.
Fingers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.
Fingers missing with some ground and pound from the half guard.
Fingers is trying to control the action in half guard but Fitch is working away on the bottom, looking perhaps to get back to full guard.
Fitch tries to get to full guard but Fingers has control of the leg.
Fingers throwing punches and elbows but they're not doing any damage.
Fingers stops Fitch from getting back to his feet.
Fingers not throwing his punches with enough precision this time.
Fingers missing with the ground and pound from half guard.

That's four minutes gone in the round.
Fingers looks to score some points with some ground and pound.
Fingers drops an elbow to the side of Fitch's head.
The fans in attendance giving it up for the two fighters, who have really let it all hang out in the last minute or so!
Fitch avoiding damage under a succession of punches from Fingers.

Fingers is trying a forearm choke… I don't think that's going to do much at this level of the game.
Fingers is keen to just control but Fitch is a slippery customer.
Fitch regains full guard, whilst avoiding punches from Fingers.
Fitch working the defensive guard well to avoid strikes from Fingers.

And that's the end of the fight!
Smelly Fingers comfortably won the final round on my scorecard.
I think Fingers has won this one but let's see whether the judges agree with me. Over to the ring announcer for the scorecards.

Ladies and gentlemen, after 3 rounds of action, we go to the scorecards for a decision.
Judge Andi Peters scores the fight 28:29
Judge Gordon Ramsey scores the fight 28:29
Judge Frank Skinner scores the fight 28:29

In favor of your winner, by unanimous decision... Smelly Fingers!
Smelly Fingers bigged himself up after the win. The crowd seemed to love it.